


Evergreen

by Faster_Than_the_Speed_of_Sound



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abuse, Abusive John Winchester, Castiel Heals Dean Winchester, Child Abuse, Christmas, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Tree, Fluff, Forest Spirit Castiel (Supernatural), Gentle Castiel (Supernatural), Human Dean Winchester, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, John Winchester Being an Asshole, M/M, Sweet Castiel/Dean Winchester, Sweet Dean Winchester, Touch-Starved Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:35:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28321728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faster_Than_the_Speed_of_Sound/pseuds/Faster_Than_the_Speed_of_Sound
Summary: Castiel is a simple Tree Spirit. He guards the evergreens of his forest and cares for the animals, content to live peacefully in solitude. One day, however, a human appears. Dean Winchester might show Castiel a thing or two about humanity, and maybe fall in love with him along the way.(Also, a note: The Major Character Death is TEMPORARY, I promise. No sad faces. We've had enough of that this year. ;)
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 27
Kudos: 91





	Evergreen

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! Merry Christmas to those who celebrate. To those who don't, happy holidays! This is my gift to you. ;) You're amazing. Consider it a reward for surviving a truly wacky year.
> 
> As I've said before, the MCD is TEMPORARY. This is not No Promised Tomorrow. Seriously. It lasts for like, five seconds. Everything else is adorableness and fluffy stuff and Christmas. That being said, John Winchester is an asshole and he does physically abuse Dean in this fic. He is mentioned, and the abuse is never actually graphic. Only the aftermath and the injuries.
> 
> Anyway, if I haven't scared you off by now, please enjoy this holiday fic! ;)

Castiel loved winter.

There was something pleasing about the gentle stillness of freshly fallen snow, the way it muffled sounds and turned the world a soft white. Castiel's favorite smell in the whole world was that of the cold and the wind. He'd always known that the ice had a special smell. He always knew when it was going to snow, simply by the taste of the wind.

Today, for example, the wind smelled of ice and an oncoming winter storm. It made the air sharp and clean, cutting through Castiel's lungs like razors. He inhaled deeply, a small smile curving his lips. The fresh scents of pine and frozen soil sparked joy in his blood.

Abruptly, the peaceful stillness of the forest was broken by the rumble of a car. 

Castiel frowned, moving through the trees until he could spot the large gray highway that passed through the forest. Along it, a machine the color of a freshly broken branch rolled at a speed that Castiel _knew_ would kill a deer, if one were to suddenly get in the way. He knew, because he'd held the broken bodies of several as their spirits passed back into the soil to be reborn. It broke his heart every single time. He hated the things humans called 'cars'.

Luckily, the car soon passed, giving Castiel merely a glimpse of the man driving inside. On a whim, the collection of pine needles and wind shifted to the form of the human male, complete with a suit and a long coat the color of his car. Castiel frowned down at the clothes, observing the way they restricted the feeling of the wind and the chill of winter. He soon reverted back to his true form, gliding over the tops of the trees to return to his Tree.

He made a small detour to see Anna, who was watching some baby eagles hatch from their nest high in a dead tree. As he passed, he waved a little at the Bird perched beside the thick twig nest. Anna's wings ruffled in a warm return. Smiling, Castiel breathed a soft gust of wind and pine scent, hoping it would at least help the newly born fledglings breathe. Sometimes, the smallest things made the biggest difference.

As Castiel returned to his Tree, the enormous evergreen that sat at the center of a small clearing, he was surprised to hear a heartbeat along with the pulsing of life within the glade. It was a heartbeat that the forest didn't hear often.

A human.

Castiel was careful as he got to the outskirts. He peered tentatively into the clearing, eyes widening as he took in the young human male who was kneeling at the base of his Tree.

The male was bleeding. It wasn't bad, but it was enough to send alarm through Castiel. The salt of tears was thick in the air. Something about the male's position was _wrong_. Bad. Crunched over and in pain. Castiel drifted forward without even thinking, frowning as he got closer. There was a thick haze of pain and sadness around the human male, but underneath that all was a soul more blindingly bright than the sun reflecting off newly fallen snow.

Before Castiel could think, he was shifting into physical form again. He called up the body of that human from before, complete with the long coat and thick-soled shoes.

"Are you alright?"

The human male, who was still hunched over at the base of Castiel's Tree, jumped. In a flash, he was standing, wobbling dangerously as he turned to stare at Castiel. His eyes were wide with fear and surprise, and Castiel realized he might have been a tad too quiet in his approach.

"What the fuck?" the human choked, chest heaving with fear. Castiel could see that his nose and lip were split open, his right eye swollen and colored the shade of violets in the spring.

"My name is Castiel," Castiel said, keeping his voice gentle. He'd decided to treat this human as he would a wounded animal. In a way, really, they were one and the same. Castiel tilted his head to the side a little. "What is your name?"

"Where the hell did you come from?" the human demanded, still looking frightened and skittish, like he'd bolt in a split second. Castiel remained very still, knowing that one wrong move could frighten the admittedly-intriguing man into disappearing into the forest.

"I came from the wind," Castiel replied simply. "I was returning to my Tree, and I found you here."

The human stared at him. "What?"

Castiel frowned. Had he not been clear? "I was in the wind. I found you here when I returned to my Tree."

"This... is yours?" the human asked, turning to look up at the massive evergreen. "How so? And what do you mean, you 'came from the wind'?"

Castiel frowned deeper. "I came from the wind. And that is my Tree." He felt like he'd repeated that several times over. Perhaps this creature had brain damage. It looked as if it had been struck several times on the face.

The human blinked. "What." It had lost the questioning tilt to it. Now, there was only flat disbelief.

Castiel frowned. Perhaps this human needed a physical demonstration. Humans were visual creatures, after all. He eyed the human male in front of him for a moment longer, then willed his physical form away. In a moment, the wind had returned and pine needles were shifting on the forest floor.

The human's eyes went _wide_. Distantly, Castiel reflected that they were the color of fresh, budding pine needles. Absolutely breathtaking.

"Holy shit," the human muttered. "Fuck. I'm fucking losing my mind. Fuck, how hard did Dad _hit_ me?"

Castiel rematerialized. "It was your father that did that to you?" The thought made his insides heat up, and it wasn't in a nice way, either. He wanted to hurt something, which was very rare. It was something akin to the feeling he got when he saw humans drive away after injuring an animal they _knew_ they'd hurt.

"You're... I'm imagining you," the human said softly, pine-green eyes still wide. He'd completely disregarded Castiel's question, but that was fine. He was injured, and his brain was slightly bruised. He was a little confused. "I hit my head and I'm imagining you."

"I can heal you," Castiel offered. He wasn't quite sure why he was doing it, but he was. Perhaps it was the innocent fragility that this human seemed to share with the animals of the forest, or perhaps it was the pure brightness to the soul that was hiding beneath all that fear and pain.

"You can... heal me. Sure," the human said. He gave a broken little laugh. "Guess I kinda lost it, huh? Fucking shit."

Castiel wasn't sure there was a necessity for so much blasphemy, but he didn't mind. He stepped forward and raised a hand, ignoring the aching of his own heart when he saw the human flinch away slightly. The human's skin was warm underneath his palm, only slightly cooled by the temperature of the forest.

Castiel closed his eyes, finding the injuries in the human's body. On top of the visible damage to his face, he also had some contusions on his torso and a sprain in his right ankle. Castiel once again found himself wondering exactly what had caused these injuries. It didn't make sense that it was the human's father. The injuries were too brutal.

The breath left the human in a soft rush. When he opened his evergreen eyes, they were far clearer than before. "Whoa," the human whispered softly. "So you... you really _are_ real."

Castiel gave him a smile. "Of course I am." Silly human.

"What... What are you?" the young man asked. His voice was soft with shock and something akin to awe. It sent warm ripples through Castiel's chest. His hand hadn't left the human's forehead, and he could feel the young male pressing slightly into the touch. It was most likely subconscious, but Castiel noticed it all the same.

"I am a forest spirit," he replied, feeling his human face split into a small smile. "That is my Tree. I believe it called to you because you were in need of my assistance."

"Your... Your Tree," the human mumbled, turning to stare at the evergreen behind him. Castiel felt ripples of pride as he sensed the awe and admiration in the human. "That's a... That's a nice Tree, Cas-Castee-Cas-uh..."

"I believe 'Cas' will suffice," Castiel interrupted gently. He smiled, repeating his question from earlier. "What's your name?"

The man blinked. "Uh, Dean. My name is Dean Winchester."

Castiel beamed. "Hello, Dean."

Dean swallowed, the sound clicking in the soft silence. "Thank you for healing me, uh, Cas."

Castiel's smile became slightly sad. "Of course. Why were you injured in the first place?"

Dean winced. "Fucked up last night. Let some of the potatoes freeze. Dad was just teaching me a lesson." He paused, seeming to notice that Castiel's hand had shifted slightly from his forehead, his fingertips caressing the human's temple. Dean pulled away suddenly, flushing darkly. "I don't know why I just told you that."

Castiel shrugged. "There is nothing wrong with it. I'm sorry your father hurts you. He... should not." The tree spirit frowned deeply. Parents were meant to cherish their offspring, to nurture and protect them. Humans were complicated, and that sometimes meant they committed atrocities that a bear or squirrel wouldn't. The abuse of their children was an example.

"It's fine," Dean insisted, looking thoroughly uncomfortable. "Really. Thanks for your concern and... and for healing me, Cas. I should... I should probably be going now. Sorry if I wasted your time or something."

"I have no time for you to waste," Castiel replied, frowning deeply. "And you cannot go back, not when you are going to be hurt again."

Dean gave Castiel a small smile. "Thanks for the concern, Cas, but I have to. I've got a little brother I have to take care of."

Castiel blinked. "Dean..." He trailed off, unable to argue. Dean's cause was a noble one. Brotherhood and family were important. But Castiel couldn't help but feel upset that a creature of such light had to go back to such darkness. "Surely you cannot just _live_ like that?"

Dean sighed. "Cas, really, it's fine. Sammy... Sammy's leaving soon, anyway." There was a surprising amount of pain and bitterness in that last part. "I'll be fine. Thank you for the help."

Castiel wasn't happy, but he knew he couldn't very well _keep_ Dean here. He needed to let him go. "Of course. Good luck, Dean. Stay safe."

Dean gave him a small smile. "Sure, Cas." He turned to leave, boots crunching softly in the dead foliage on the forest floor. After a split second, he stopped and turned around, eyeing Castiel's Tree uncertainly. "So... can I only find you... here? Or...?" He trailed off, looking very insecure.

Castiel smiled gently. "I am the forest spirit of all evergreen trees, at least to an extent. Anywhere you go, I will most likely be able to find you."

That seemed to be the right thing to say. Dean's body relaxed, the broad line of his shoulders softening. "Okay. Thanks, Cas." He gave Castiel an adorable little wave, plush lips curved in a smile. Castiel waved back, watching as the human turned and moved away through the trees, heading back the way he'd come.

The entire walk home, Castiel made sure Dean was sheltered from the oncoming winter storm.

~>>>~

"Do you mind not blowing your needles into the pond?" Castiel asked the evergreen trees. It had been about a week since he'd seen Dean, and winter was in full swing. The forest was still green, however, because of the pine trees. Castiel smiled up at them, listening as they murmured their curiosity as to why he would make such a request. "Ishim says that his fish don't like the clogging of the stream." The pine trees, upon learning of the fishes' discomfort, immediately agreed.

Castiel thanked them and moved along, waving a little to the fish as he passed. Ishim, who was seated near the place where the stream met the pond, gave Castiel a grateful nod. His silver Fish was currently resting in the seaweed.

Castiel continued along. He passed through a glade, where four deer were eating quietly. As he came to a stop next to them, he paused.

"Castiel?"

Castiel smiled as Gadreel's Deer, a powerful buck with large horns, emerged. "Hello, Gadreel. How can I help you?"

Gadreel flicked his ears. "There is a human watching some deer on the eastern side of the forest. I believe he's harmless, but we've seen him before. Some of the animals are worried the humans are making a habit of coming here. I thought I should let you know. He's nearest to your Tree."

Castiel's eyes widened a little. "Thank you for telling me. I'll go look." Gadreel dipped his head in understanding, turning back to the little flock of deer next to them. Castiel took the dismissal and practically flew through the trees, intent on finding the human.

The trees beckoned to him, leading him toward a little clearing where two young, male deer were eating grass quietly. Near them, concealed in the brush, a familiar human crouched.

The evergreen trees whispered for the deer to move on, knowing they wouldn't appreciate being watched. The deer did so, bounding quietly away. As they did, Castiel materialized next to the human who had been watching them, a smile already on his face. "Hello, Dean."

"Fuck!" The sound of a human shout was strangely quiet in the vastness of the forest. Dean scrambled to stand upright, green eyes wide. "Jesus, Cas, you scared the shit out of me."

Castiel tilted his head to the side. "My apologies. Why were you watching the deer?"

Dean flushed a little. "You saw that?"

"Of course, Dean. I am the trees. I see most things." Castiel didn't mention the fact that Gadreel had needed to tell him of Dean's presence. It was sort of embarrassing, how he could lose his awareness by becoming focused on certain things.

"Oh. Well, I was just... I just thought they were pretty," Dean muttered, face still a light pink color that had nothing to do with the cold. "I like deer. And bears, but those are dangerous."

Castiel tilted his head to the side. "Not dangerous. Merely territorial. Would you like to see one? I'm sure Uriel wouldn't mind." Even as he said it, his trees were whispering for the nearest bear to wander into the clearing. Bears weren't nearly as modest as deer, and this one would probably be fine with being stared at by a human. 

"Uriel? So, there's like... more of you?" Dean asked.

Castiel gave him a small smile. "Yes, though, they are the woodland spirits of different things. I am the spirit of the evergreen trees. Anna is the spirit of the birds. Gadreel represents the deer. Uriel is the spirit of the bears. There are more."

Dean squinted at him. "Okay. And you guys are... what, protectors? Is this a magical forest?"

Castiel gave him a wry smile. "Perhaps. There is a reason no human has ever tried to cut down any of the trees or hunt any of the animals."

Dean's eyes widened a little. "Wow. You guys do that?"

"We protect the innocent and pure," Castiel replied. _Like you_. He didn't say that last part out loud, though. Instead, he turned and smiled as a sleepy black bear lumbered into the clearing. "Oh, look."

Dean's eyes widened and he yelped, moving behind Castiel on instinct. Castiel didn't know whether or not Dean had actively meant to use him for protection, but it made his chest warm. "Whoa. That's like, a real bear. Crap. Shit."

"It's alright," Castiel soothed, reaching out to take Dean's wrist gently in his hand. He led the lightly-trembling human closer to the bear, who was being surprisingly patient. The trees must have chosen one that was good for this kind of thing, then. Castiel silently thanked them.

"It's gonna eat me," Dean said, pulling a little at Castiel's grip. His green eyes were wide and fixed on the bear.

"She won't _eat_ you," Castiel admonished, laughing a little. Humans really were silly. "Not while I'm here. Just don't do anything disrespectful."

"What... would count as disrespectful?" Dean questioned. The previous color from before had all but drained from his face.

"Well, if you pulled her fur or anything," Castiel replied, frowning a little in thought. "What would you constitute as 'disrespectful'?" The last question was directed toward the bear.

Dean watched with wide eyes as the bear gave a rumbling growl and shifted its feet. Castiel nodded solemnly, to which the human asked, "What did it say?"

"She said she doesn't appreciate fur-pulling, no. She likes pets, though," Castiel replied. 

He tugged Dean forward a little more, ignoring the human's, "What? _Pets?_ Ah, _fuck_ -"

Castiel gently placed Dean's palm on the bear's shoulder, and the human quieted. The she-bear huffed, as if to say, _Finally_. Her dark eyes were on the human, but they were gentle. Castiel silently thanked her for her patience. She responded with an amused twitch of her ears.

All around, the wind was blowing softly. The pine trees whispered with it. Above, some of Anna's birds came to perch on the topmost boughs. The forest was watching, whether Dean knew it or not. Castiel could feel their surprise and amazement. Dean seemed to be echoing that, even if he didn't know it. His green eyes were wide with awe.

The bear gave a little rumble. Castiel expected Dean to be scared, but all the human did was stroke a gentle hand along the bear's coarse fur. It was a tentative movement, but it was much more than Castiel had expected.

"This has to be the craziest thing I've ever done," Dean whispered, voice hushed. He gave a little, slightly-hysterical laugh. "I still kinda think I'm dreaming. Except you're here." He turned to look at Castiel.

Castiel smiled. "I'm here."

"I thought you were a dream," Dean said quietly. "I had to... I had to check. It took me a couple of days to work up the courage, but... here I am."

"I'm glad you're here," Castiel replied, smiling. It was true. "And I am not a dream. I'm real." At that, Dean gave him a tentative smile in return.

They stayed there for untold minutes, until the bear yawned widely and lumbered off. She was going to find some berries, most likely, and then she was probably going to go to her cave. The bears had begun their hibernation cycle recently, so she would likely be going to sleep soon.

"Wow," Dean muttered as he watched the she-bear lumber off. "That was amazing."

Castiel smiled. "It was." He wasn't talking about the bear.

For a moment, they stood in silence. Castiel enjoyed the steady rhythm of Dean's breathing and heartbeat. The human was giving off a slight pulse of warmth, his body just as alive as the things of the forest. Strangely, he was just as connected as they were, too. His soul was reaching out to the trees and wind around him.

"Thank you, Cas," Dean said after a moment. He gave a little laugh. "Never thought I'd get the chance to pet a bear."

"It was my pleasure, Dean," Castiel replied. "If it means seeing you happy, I will gladly do it."

That same color rose to Dean's cheeks again. "Uh, thanks, Cas." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "That's... nice of you."

Castiel smiled warmly and reached forward to pull Dean into a hug. He felt the human stiffen considerably when his arms snaked around his shoulders, but soon, Dean was relaxing. "You are very starved of touch," Castiel murmured into the air. He frowned a little, pulling Dean in tighter. "All living creatures need physical affection in one way or another. Especially humans."

Dean didn't say anything, but Castiel could feel his embarrassment. He could also feel his soul's relief, the way it sort of softened its light. Dean's physical body relaxed into Castiel's hold, his head coming to rest on Castiel's shoulder.

They stayed there for a long time. When Dean finally returned to his home outside the forest, Castiel was reluctant to let him go. He pretended not to notice the wetness of Dean's cheeks, nor the way his soul cried out for Castiel the moment the spirit released it.

When Castiel returned to his Tree that night, he found a little sapling beside it.

~>>>~

Castiel watched as the early fall turned to early winter. It became much colder. The deciduous trees lost the rest of their leaves, though Castiel's evergreens stayed brilliant and green. Castiel moved among them often, smiling and speaking to the ones that wanted to converse.

Dean appeared a few weeks after the visit with the bear. He was limping slightly when he arrived, but he made it. Castiel appeared in the clearing before him, glad that the human had appeared. He wondered at that emotion. As an inherently joyful spirit, he regularly experienced joy. But happiness because of the presence of another, especially happiness this intense... it was new.

"Hello, Dean," he said.

Dean blinked, but didn't jump or swear when he appeared. "Heya, Cas. Uh... Long time no see."

Castiel smiled. "Indeed, it has been a long time without seeing each other. What happened to your leg?"

Dean winced. "You get right to it, don't you?" At Castiel's confused expression, he waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It's just a little sprain."

Castiel stepped forward and put a hand on Dean's forehead. He expected resistance, but Dean actually leaned into his touch. Castiel frowned, realizing that Dean's leg was worse then he'd thought. His knee seemed to have been twisted and made worse by all the walking around and working Dean had done.

"What happened to your knee, Dean?" Castiel asked softly, healing it with a furrow of his brow. Dean sighed in relief as the pain disappeared, unconsciously leaning into Castiel's touch.

"Sprained it when I was getting some hay down from the loft so I could feed the horses. Dad didn't want to wait for it to heal before we went to harvest ice from the lake, so it got worse." Dean blinked open his eyes, which had shut in bliss, and frowned at the tree spirit. "I still don't know why I keep telling you this stuff. It kinda just... comes out."

Castiel smiled. "Your soul recognizes me. It trusts me, maybe more than you do."

Dean blinked, pulling away from Castiel's touch. His soul cried for Castiel as soon as they lost contact. Castiel was tempted to drag Dean into his arms and hold him, but he knew the human had a threshold for how much unprompted touching he could handle before he wouldn't allow any. Humans were strange like that. 

"So you can see my _soul?_ " Dean asked, frowning.

"I can," Castiel replied. He smiled brightly. "It's very beautiful."

To his surprise and horror, Dean snorted and shook his head. "Nah. You need your eyes checked, man. Soul like mine is probably black and awful."

Castiel couldn't resist taking Dean into his arms then. He reached out and wrapped his arms around the human's slender waist, tugging him against his body. Dean's broad shoulders became a hard line of tension, like they had before. Also like before, it only took a few moments before he was sagging gratefully against Castiel.

"Your soul is more beautiful than that of each individual snowflake as it falls. You are precious, Dean Winchester. Don't forget that," Castiel said quietly into the cold silence of the woods. He could feel Dean's disagreement, but the human didn't speak. Instead, he burrowed closer to Castiel, tucking his head underneath the tree spirit's chin. Or, well, his vessel's chin. The human Castiel took the form of was shorter than Dean, so it forced the human to crumple himself a little. He did so with heart-wrenching easiness.

Castiel frowned as he caressed Dean's soul with his grace. It almost felt like part of it was... gone. It was a strange, scary feeling. He didn't like it.

He almost mentioned it, then decided better of it. It was probably just a feeling. It would disappear in time. Besides, he didn't want to make Dean sad again. He knew that was what would happen, especially since they'd just been on the topic of souls.

"Cas?" Dean asked quietly.

"Yes, Dean?" Castiel replied, squeezing the human softly.

"How come I always end up here?" Dean asked. "I... No matter where I go in this forest, I always find your Tree. I know it's magical, but why _here?_ "

Castiel frowned. He honestly didn't know. "I can't be sure, Dean. But I know that my Tree likes you, very much."

Dean's face heated where it was pressed against Castiel's neck. "Oh. That's nice." Castiel could feel the human's soul practically singing with joy. He smiled. "What kind of tree is it?" Dean asked.

Castiel frowned. "I believe you humans call it a _pseudotsuga menziesii_. The non-scientific name would be a coast Douglas fir."

Dean pulled his face from where it was hiding against Castiel's neck to smile up at the tree. "It's pretty. Are you the spirit of all trees?"

Castiel shook his head. "There are different tiers of spirits. As a Seraph, I am the spirit of a certain species of tree. There are greater spirits than me, spirits of trees altogether. I hold particular power in a forest such as this, but somewhere south, that would not be the case. Some spirits are lesser than even me, and they are sometimes the simple spirits of a certain type of tree, like a cedar tree."

"Cool," Dean murmured. His voice was soft and dreamy. "Well, I think evergreen trees are awesome. They don't ever go brown. They stay beautiful all winter."

Castiel's chest warmed. He hugged Dean tighter in response, unable to say anything to that. As he did so, his grace caressed the beautifully broken parts of Dean's soul. Whether the human knew what was happening or not, he seemed to take comfort in it. With a sigh, he relaxed against Castiel's vessel's body.

The spirit and the human stayed like that for a long, long time.

~>>>~

The winter became deeper. Snow fell in thick sheets. It made the trees sing with happiness. They loved the snow. The deer took shelter beneath Castiel's trees at night, huddling in pairs to keep warm. Castiel's trees did their best to shield them from the worst of the snowfall.

Castiel was worried about the sapling that was growing near his Tree. It wasn't close enough that he had to coax it to a new spot in the soil, but it would be close enough for some of the branches to brush Castiel's Tree when it grew to full size. It was nearly buried completely in the first snowfall, but Castiel took some liberties and cleared away the nearby snow so the little tree could breathe. He wasn't sure why, but he felt protective of the little sapling. It seemed... special. Even the deer, who would normally never pass up the chance for food in the winter, left the little plant alone.

It was a curious thing.

The day after the snow fell, Dean reappeared. He was bleeding again, and when he collapsed at the base of Castiel's Tree, some of his blood stained the snow crimson.

Castiel returned to his Tree when it called for him. He wasn't surprised to hear a familiar heartbeat in the clearing, though he _was_ shocked to see how badly Dean was bleeding.

"Dean? Dean, are you alright?" Castiel asked, concern sharpening his voice to a razor. He knelt in the snow beside the human, having shifted into what he'd begun to think of as his human form without even thinking.

Dean sniffled and leaned into him immediately, his whole body trembling. His skin was ice-cold and pale. Castiel recognized the trembling as more than shivering, but he still tried his best to make sure Dean was warm. The human blinked blearily up at him. "Cas?"

"I'm here, Dean. I'm going to heal your injuries," Castiel told Dean.

He was surprised when Dean thrashed a little, shaking his head. "N-No, no, Cas. No!"

Castiel loosened his grip enough to stop Dean from panicking. "Why not, Dean?" He was getting slightly desperate. The blood was soaking into his shirt, the ugly, metallic tang rising in the air.

"He can't... He'll know," Dean rasped, seemingly exhausted by his previous movements. He collapsed back against Castiel. "You can't heal it all. He'll know."

'He' was Dean's father, Castiel supposed. He squeezed the human tight in his arms, as if the pressure of his hug would protect him. "Just a little? Please, Dean," Castiel begged. "You're losing blood." He could feel the welts on Dean's back slowly closing, though they weren't doing so fast enough. If Dean did nothing, he'd probably end up gravely ill.

For long moments, the only sound was Dean's raspy breathing. His chest was laboring, practically heaving itself up and down. After an untold amount of time, Castiel felt Dean nod slightly against his shoulder.

The tree spirit closed his eyes and gently healed the worst of the welts on the human's back. It killed him to leave some of them there. He hated to leave Dean in pain. That had been the human's request, though, and he would honor it. Castiel healed the worst bruises on his ribs as well. The human's breathing eased considerably.

"Thanks, Cas," Dean whispered, eyes sliding open. The green was much clearer now that the haze of pain was gone. His soul was reaching out for Castiel gratefully. Castiel frowned as he wrapped it in himself. He felt at all the edges, gently poking and prodding. The soul barely noticed, too focused on burying itself in Castiel's grace.

"Your soul is fading, Dean," Castiel said suddenly. He felt at the missing pieces, the places where the darkness seemed to have moved in.

"My what?" Dean questioned, pulling away. As he did so, he ripped his soul from Castiel's grasp. It made both men wince in pain.

"Your soul. It's fading. I... I couldn't feel part of it," Castiel said. He could feel self-hating thoughts beginning to spread through Dean's head, something about how it was only a matter of time until he didn't have a soul at all, and the tree spirit blinked. "Dean, what-"

"It's fine, Cas. Seriously," Dean said. There was something broken about him now, something _off_. It made Castiel's skin itch to fix.

"Dean-"

"Leave it," Dean growled. He winced at his rough tone and softened it considerably when he spoke next. "Please."

Castiel could do nothing but obey Dean's wishes. He wondered when the human had begun to have such power over him. "Very well. I suppose you are going to leave now?"

Dean swallowed. "I have to."

They both knew that was a lie.

~>>>~

Castiel didn't see Dean for two long weeks. Part of him thought the human just didn't want to come back, but the larger part, the smarter part, knew that the human was embarrassed by what had happened. He wasn't returning because he was afraid.

When Castiel saw Dean again, he was crying. 

Castiel appeared a few yards away, black shoes buries deep in the snow. Dean was sitting underneath Castiel's Tree. The Tree was reaching out to him, attempting to comfort his soul even though it had no way of doing so. Castiel would save his questions about that for later.

He knelt in front of Dean, footsteps quiet in the snow. Dean must have noticed him before, because he didn't jump or swear when Castiel sat down in front of him.

"They want to cut down one of your trees," Dean sniffled quietly. 

Castiel tilted his head to the side. "Who is 'they', Dean?"

Dean rubbed his face harshly, as if pain would make the tears stop. Castiel reached forward and grabbed his wrist, pulling it gently from his face. As Dean's hand reached his lap, Castiel's fingers tangled with the human's.

"My brother and my Dad," Dean said, voice thick with tears. "It's f-fucking stupid. Dad doesn't want to buy a tree 'cause we don't have the money 'cause he _drinks_ , and S-Sammy wants one, so they're gonna come _here_ and _cut one down_ and they _can't_ -"

"Why not, Dean?" Castiel asked gently. He squeezed the young man's hand in his own.

Dean looked up at him, green eyes bright with tears. His soul was pulsing with anguish. Castiel reached out and held it, attempting to comfort Dean on a level other than physical. It seemed to help. The soul quieted slightly, though it was still pained. "It's your trees, Cas. You, I guess. They want to cut down a Christmas tree, and they want to cut down one of _yours_."

Castiel softened, giving Dean a gentle smile. He was touched that Dean was so upset on his behalf. "That's alright."

That, evidently, was not what Dean had expected. He sniffled. "What?"

"It's alright." Castiel chuckled a little, looking around. "Do you think I can protect all trees? No. Every day, my trees are cut down. Far south of here, a wildfire is burning hundreds. That is alright." At Dean's confused expression, Castiel smiled kindly. "Death is a part of life, Dean. My trees are excited to be made into Christmas trees. They are loved very dearly by humans like your little brother. They bring much joy and excitement. They are happy with their passing."

Dean sniffled. His tears seemed to have stopped, though, as if Castiel's explanation had comforted him. "But... they die." He peeked at Castiel through wet, clumped-together lashes. Castiel gave him a gentle smile.

"And? They will be returned to the earth to grow anew. That is the cycle of life," the tree spirit said.

Dean blinked. Evidently, he hadn't thought of that before. Castiel could feel Dean's soul settling, taking comfort in the warmth of his grace. "Oh. So... you're not gonna be angry if we cut a tree down?"

Castiel smiled, squeezing him a little. "Of course not. Will you decorate it nicely and love it dearly?"

"Of course," Dean replied, blinking. 

Castiel smiled. "Then I see no problem at all. And I assure you, the trees do not either." He didn't tell Dean that they were upset by his tears, nor that they were grateful for his concern. They seemed to reach for him, boughs waving lightly in the wind. 

"That's good," Dean replied. He sniffled, wiping at the last of his tears. "I was worried."

"I appreciate how much you cared for my trees," Castiel said, smiling. "You have a very bright, good soul."

Dean flushed a little. "Thanks, Cas." He paused, frowning a little. "Do you... Do you have a soul?"

Castiel laughed at that, genuinely surprised. He would never have expected a question like that. "I don't suppose I do. I _am_ a soul, in a way. A spirit of these trees. This one, in particular." He nodded at his Tree. "It's my life source, like this body is for you. When you pass away, your soul will return to the universe, and you will be reborn again."

"What will I be, uh, reborn as?" Dean asked, curious.

Castiel gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand lightly. "That, my dearest Dean, is not for me to tell."

~>>>~

A few days later, Dean and a young man with floppy hair and a bright smile came to cut down a tree.

Castiel had spoken with the tree the night before. It had expressed its undying joy at being chosen to become a Christmas tree. Castiel made sure it was placed in a good position. He watched, smiling, as the taller boy pointed it out with a gleeful smile. Dean smiled too, and when he looked out at the forest, Castiel could sense his gratitude.

They cut down the tree, and Dean carried it over his shoulder back to the little farmhouse at the edge of the woods. Castiel followed them as far as his trees went, watching as the younger brother talked excitedly and Dean listened. The tree flopped happily over Dean's shoulder. Castiel gave it a little wave goodbye.

~>>>~

A few days later, Dean came by to talk to Castiel again. He thanked the tree spirit for the tree again, then gave him an update on how the tree was doing. It was propped up in a bowl of water, apparently, with tinsel and colorful, sparkly balls hung on the branches. Castiel told Dean it was most likely very happy.

The entire time, Castiel tried not to worry. Dean's soul had faded even more. It was fading more every day.

Dean visited a few days after that, when the sun was setting. The overcast sky was dimming, making the snow seem very bright. Dean trudged through it in worn snow boots that seemed a tad too small. Despite his too-small shoes and the lack of real winter clothing he was wearing, what remained of his soul was fluttering and happy.

"Hello, Dean," Castiel said, smiling at him as he appeared in the clearing before the human.

"Heya, Cas," Dean replied, beaming at him. "I have an early Christmas present for you."

Castiel tilted his head to the side, eyes narrowed curiously. "Do you? No one has ever given me a Christmas present before."

Dean gave him a happy smile. "Great! This can be your first one, then." He reached into the pocket of his leather jacket with a grin, and pulled out a sparkling red ball. Proudly, Dean presented it to Castiel, who took it carefully.

The ball was made of blown plastic, thin and light in Castiel's hand. It was red, and he found a strangely contorted reflection of his face staring back in the surface of the ball. There was a little golden hook at the top. "What is this, Dean?" Castiel asked, curious and amazed. He liked the color. It was pretty.

Dean laughed, the sound joyous and beautiful. "It's a Christmas ornament, Cas. Now you can be a Christmas tree too." He reached out and took the strange, glassy ball from Castiel. The tree spirit watched in awe and wonder as Dean walked to where the trunk of Castiel's Tree sprouted a few small, mini branches that were lower to the ground. He reached up and gently pulled one of them down, hooking the little golden part of the ornament on the bough. When Dean released the branch, the red ball bobbed in the air, glittering softly in the dying light. Dean turned to Castiel, eyes sparkling. "What do you think?"

The tree spirit stared at the little ornament on his Tree. He could feel the pulsing of life in the forest around him, the pure joy that was emanating from the very roots that intertwined the earth beneath his feet.

Dean's face was blurry when Castiel looked from the ornament to him. "Thank you, Dean."

Dean smiled softly. "Aw, don't cry, Cas." He reached out and gave Castiel a hug, the first the human had initiated. Castiel hugged him back, eyes still on the little red ornament. It was the most beautiful gift he'd ever been given. He couldn't believe how thoughtful and kind the human in his arms was.

"I love it," Castiel said quietly. He squeezed Dean tight in his arms, felt the way his fading soul murmured with joy.

"Does your Tree like it?" Dean asked. "I know you're kinda one and the same, but I didn't know... I didn't want to be disrespectful, or anything." He pulled away, sincerity shining in his green eyes.

The breath was punched from Castiel's chest. How could Dean, a living, flawed creature, be so perfect? How could he be so considerate and kind? It made it hard to breathe.

"My Tree... enjoys it very much," Castiel replied roughly, wiping at the tears that had slipped down his face. "I appreciate your thoughtfulness."

Dean shrugged bashfully. "Least I could do. Sammy still loves that tree you gave us. We're gonna open the presents tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Castiel echoed.

"Yeah. Tonight's Christmas Eve," Dean replied. "I wanted to give you your present before Christmas, so you could be a Christmas tree too."

Castiel felt tears well up in his eyes all over again. "I appreciate the opportunity, Dean. I understand why my trees enjoy it." He smiled at the little red ornament. "It is very pleasing."

Dean laughed. "Good. I'm glad." He and Castiel stayed there for a moment, holding each other and looking at the ornament in the fading light. Castiel knew Dean had to go soon. He clung to the last remnants of Dean's fading soul for as long as he could.

"Dean, do you know why your soul is fading?" Castiel asked quietly.

Dean tensed a little. "Not really." He turned brilliant green eyes to stare at Castiel. "Do you?"

Castiel held him a little tighter. "I do not."

They said nothing else, just held each other until it became too dark to see the little red ornament Dean had put on Castiel's Tree. When it came time for Dean to return, Castiel guided him home.

~>>>~

Castiel didn't see Dean for many long weeks after that. Every day, he tended the little sapling that was growing beside his Tree. It was growing steadily, rising out of the snow. Castiel observed that its growth rate was definitely faster than normal, which he figured was because he was paying special attention to it.

When Dean finally came to Castiel for the last time, he was very weak. Even physically, Castiel could sense that he was fading. His face was streaked with tears, his little soul weighed down with heavy sadness.

Castiel immediately enveloped Dean in his arms. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"Dad died," Dean whispered. "In his sleep. Doctors said it was because of his liver. Sammy left."

Castiel looked down at the trembling human in his arms. He felt sad for Dean's loss, but at the same time, he was grateful that Dean was no longer in danger. "Your brother left?"

"He had to go to college. He didn't want to stay on the farm," Dean replied quietly. "I'm the only one left." After a moment of silence, he gave a wet chuckle. "I don't even think I'm _here_ anymore."

Castiel held him tighter.

He could hear Dean's lungs rattling in the quiet hush of falling snow. The human was fading fast. It made Castiel's heart ache to hear the sound of his labored breathing, to know that his human was suffering and he couldn't help.

He closed his eyes against the tears that threatened, trying to soothe any pain Dean's fading soul might feel. It latched weakly onto his grace.

"Am I dying, Cas?" Dean whispered.

"I don't know," Castiel replied, trying to make out Dean's eyes through the tears in his own. "I think... I think so. I don't know why, but I think..." 

He didn't finish. Dean didn't need him to. The human settled in against him with a shaky sigh.

Dean was now lying across Castiel's lap. The tree spirit was bent over him, his right arm cradling the human's shoulders, his left holding one of Dean's hands. All around, the snow fell softly on the silent forest.

Dean's soul was slipping through Castiel's fingers. His breathing was getting shakier and shakier, the light of his once-brilliant soul dimming. Castiel blinked through his tears to smile gently at the soft green eyes that were fixed on his face.

"I think... I love you, C-Cas," Dean rasped, voice barely more than a whisper. "Is that... okay?"

Castiel gave a shaky laugh. "Of course, Dean." He sucked in a trembling breath. "I think I love you too."

The last of Dean's soul started to slip away. The human gave him a sleepy smile, snow beginning to fleck his hair. "Thank you, Cas."

Castiel never got to ask him what he was thanking him for.

~>>>~

It took ten months for the sapling to grow to normal size, instead of the usual ten years. Castiel buried Dean's body beside it. By that time, winter was approaching once again, and the leaves of the deciduous trees fell. The bears and squirrels began to think of hibernation, the deer shedding their summer coats for winter ones.

The spirit of the evergreens returned to his Tree one day in late November to find that the little sapling beside his Tree had grown into a Tree of its own. It was a large, handsome noble fir, and standing beside it was the small, bright spirit of Christmas trees. 

For a moment, the two spirits only looked at each other in shocked silence. Then the evergreen spirit rushed forward with a sob and wrapped his arms around the other.

For long moments they only held each other, tears shed softly in the silence of newly fallen snow. After a moment, Dean chuckled softly and whispered, "Heya, Cas."

Castiel smiled through his tears before responding, "Hello, Dean."

**The End**

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think! I hope I didn't confuse anyone. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.
> 
> Happy holidays! I love all of you! ;)
> 
> ~Faster_Than_the_Speed_of_Sound


End file.
